Thursday, March 28, 2013

There may not be any future NBA superstars among the players remaining in the NCAA Tournament. There are certainly some solid future pros. Here is a glance at the 16 players we are paying the most attention to (from an NBA scouting perspective) in the 2013 Men's Basketball Sweet 16.

Even with goofy pants - Cody is a prospect.

Cody Zeller - Indiana 6'11" 230 - Center. Sophomore. ...Zeller is a real weapon in college basketball. There just aren't many teams with a kid as big and as skilled as Zeller is. He averages 16 points and eight rebounds per game. Cody is the younger brother of Luke and Tyler Zeller, both NBA players. Cody is perhaps a bit more rugged than Tyler, and Cody has a slightly higher career efficiency rating than his Cleveland Cavalier brother. Cody understands that he is a BIG man and he does not try to do things outside his game. This understanding of his role allows him to shoot 59% FG (career) - due to his excellent shot selection. He shoots 75% FT for his career. ...Zeller can improve by turning the ball over less. He gets caught off-balance too often despite good ball-handling skills for a Center. Victor Oladipo - Indiana 6'5" 214 - Shooting Guard. Junior. ...Oladipo is an athletic wing guard that plays both ends of the floor. He is the rare shooting guard that shoots over 50% from the field (presently at 54.5% FG for his three seasons at IU). He has great speed and the ability to create off the dribble. He has greatly improved his three-point percentage this season but his career number is probably a better indicator (33.3 %). Oladipo also helps as a rebounder. Not too many guards get you 6.4 rebounds per game - but Oladipo does! He was recently named The Sporting News 2013 Player of the Year. Defensively, he was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. ...Oladipo also can improve by cutting down on the turnovers. He has more turnovers than assists for his career. Ben McLemore - Kansas 6'5" 185 - Shooting Guard. Freshman. ...I really hope McLemore stays in school at least another year. He shows flashes of brilliance but is not yet the consistent player that I think he can become. He is special due to his combination of shooting accuracy and athletic ability. McLemore's touch is evident in his 87% free throw shooting, and his 41% three-point accuracy. He averages 16 points, five rebounds, and two assists per contest.

Gardner makes the Cosby face.

Davante Gardner - Marquette 6'8" 290 - Power Forward. Junior. ...Gardner is a load to handle in the low-post. He is nimble and he has a soft touch for such a BIG dude. He was the Big East Sixth Man of the Year. Gardner shoots an impressive 79% FT - career. Defensively, he eats space but he is not a shot blocker. He averaged 11.5 points and 4.8 rebounds this season, playing just 21.3 minutes per game. Arsalan Kazemi - Oregon 6'8" 226 - Power Forward. Senior. ...Kazemi has a motor that seemingly churns twice as fast as his opponents. Non-stop energy is his calling card. The Iranian National Team member started his college career at Rice but has now landed at Oregon. He is a terrific rebounder and defender that was named to the Pac-12 All Defensive Team. For his NCAA career - he shoots 55% FG. Jeff Withey - Kansas 7'0" 235 - Center. Senior.. ...Withey is a shot-blocker that also has a little bit of an offensive game. For his size, he is quick off his feet - which allows him to block shots at a high rate. He leads my database of tournament players in 'blocks per minute', and his career 'blocks per minute' rate is better historically than noted shot-blockers John Henson, and Andre Drummond. Withey can step out to hit a face-up shot or score around the rim. The 23 year-old Senior was a unanimous All Big 12 selection. He shoots 72% from the free throw line. DeShaun Thomas - Ohio St. 6'7" 221 - Small Forward. Junior. ...You need a bucket? Thomas will get you one. He scores inside and outside. He scores on three-point shots, and post-ups. He hits wing jumpers, and paint floaters. In short, Thomas is a SCORER. His NCAA career 'points per minute' rate is better than noted scorer, Jordan Crawford (Xavier, Boston Celtics).

Southerland needs more hype

James Southerland - Syracuse. 6'8" 215 - Small Forward. Senior. ...Southerland doesn't receive the hype some of his teammates do - but Southerland is probably a future NBA player due to his combination of size and shooting ability. He shoots 40% from beyond the arc. ...He averages 13.7 points, and 5.3 rebounds per game. ...Other scouts view him as a power forward but I think his NBA future will be as a wing. He does have a positive career assist-to-turnover ratio. Michael Carter Williams - Syracuse. 6'5" 176 - Point Guard. Sophomore. ...Carter-Williams boasts a 2.36-to-1 assist to-turnover ratio which is not often seen in a dynamic, young guard. He is long, and lean and he has terrific explosion in his decisive moves on the court. His length makes him a tough match up for smaller point guards. Carter-Williams is still learning the value of shot selection. His career field goal percentage is just 39%. He helps his team on the boards, and he can create his own shot off the dribble. ...Carter-Williams has a "red-flag" for being caught shoplifting during his stay in Syracuse (Read this). He was a 2011 McDonald's All-American. I think he has the highest ceiling of any point guard in the Tournament. Mitch McGary - Michigan. 6'10" 263 - Power Forward. Freshman. ...McGary has legitimate NBA size and rebounding ability. He was recently added to Michigan's starting lineup and he has made them a better team. McGary is averaging 17 points and 11.5 rebounds per game in the 2013 Tournament to date. He shoots 59% FG. ...Read this about McGary's open attitude about living with A.D.H.D.Russ Smith - Louisville. 6'0" 160 - Shooting Guard. Junior. ...The best pure scorer remaining in the Tournament is Russ Smith. He loves to shoot, and he will jack up some questionable shots. But Louisville would be lost without him. Smith helps his team get through rough offensive stretches with his short memory, and aggressive play. For his career, Smith has the same number of assists as turnovers. He shoots 34% from beyond the arc, and 82% from the line. Gorgui Dieng - Louisville. 6'10" 220 - Center. Junior. ...The Center with the highest ceiling is Gorgui Dieng. Although a 23 year-old junior, Dieng is still considered to be a player that is ascending. Defensively, he is a force. He moves his feet extremely well and he blocks or alters a high percentage of opponents' shots in the paint. (Dieng's blocks per minute are historically equal to JaVale McGee's numbers.) While Dieng is still raw offensively, he has shown enough to make me believe he will continue to improve. He is just a career 65% free throw shooter.

Burke listens to his coach

Trey Burke - Michigan. 5'11" 180 - Point Guard. Sophomore. ...The best in the college game at running a team (in my opinion) is Trey Burke. He is a diminutive yet highly confident and skilled point guard. While not blessed with supreme athleticism or length, Burke closes the gap on the deficiencies with his high basketball I.Q., and leadership ability. Burke has an excellent 2.42-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio and he can also put the ball in the basket. He averages 19.2 points per game. Sports Illustrated named Burke their National Player of the Year for 2012-13. Glenn Robinson III - Michigan. 6'6" 210 - Shooting Guard. Freshman. ...The son of the "Big Dog" is an elite transition player that electrifies fans in the open court. His finishing ability helped him shoot an impressive 57% FG as a freshman. He also has an impressive assist-to-turnover ratio which speaks to his ability to make smart basketball decisions. Robinson's father, Glenn, was the first overall pick of the 1994 NBA Draft. C.J. Fair - Syracuse. 6'7" 216 - Small Forward. Junior. ...Fair just looks like a pro. He has a prototypical NBA wing body and an ever-improving skill set to match. This season the lefty became a legitimate three-point threat - hitting 49.2% from deep. he has improved his scoring and rebounding averages in each of his three seasons. I like Fair because he still has plenty of room for improvement.

Mason Plumlee - Duke. Senior. 6'11" 245. ...Plumlee has NBA size, and he can finish above the rim. He averaged 17 points and ten rebounds per game this season, and he is unquestionably improving. However, Plumlee is not as high on my board as he may be on other boards. I think he is a quality college BIG-man but I'm not as sure about him as a pro. He turns it over nearly two times for every one assist. He shoots only 57% from the line for his career (although he raised that to 67% FT this season). Plumlee is already 23 years-old.

Here is a glance at 15 power-forwards we will be watching closely from a NBA scouting perspective in the 2013 NCAA Tournament.

Mr. Efficiency, DeQuan Hicks.

DeQuan Hicks - Northwestern St. Junior. 6'7" 230. ...I did a double take when I computed his efficiency rating. Surely I made a typo and punched in the wrong numbers. I re-checked. No mistake. Hicks owns a .808 efficiency rating - which is "through the roof" in per minute production. As a matter of fact, Hicks' points per minute rate ranks 'tops in the tournament' in my database. Hicks has scored nearly 400 points in 562 minutes. He ranks tenth in the nation in field goal percentage at 58%. While the sample size is relatively small, the overall production for a guy that only plays 20 minutes a game is phenomenal. He should, at a minimum, be on your radar. You can see him in some highlights here. He's number 32 in blue.Anthony Bennett - UNLV. Freshman. 6'8" 240. ...Bennett was recently named the Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year. He has a chance to be the overall number one pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. He averages 16 points and eight rebounds per game. Bennett is adept inside the paint or on the perimeter. He is very fluid on the floor - covering ground quickly for such a big and powerful player. He scores easily, at a high rate per-minute. He shoots 53% FG, and 70% FT. He steps out to the three point line and hits 37% of those attempts (36 of 95 this season). He does look a bit "soft" from a conditioning standpoint. Jack Cooley - Notre Dame. Senior. 6'9" 248. ...A first-team All Big East selection, Cooley is among the best defensive rebounders in college basketball. He averaged double figures in points and rebounds in the 2012-13 Big East season. He is BIG and he is smart. He shoots 65% FG for his career due to his size, and the way he positions himself around the hoop. He could certainly be a better foul shooter (just 65% FT - career), and he has more turnovers than assists, but Cooley doesn't take any plays off, and he rarely, if ever, takes a bad shot. DaVante Gardner - Marquette. Junior. 6'8" 290. ...Gardner is a load to handle in the low-post. He is nimble and he has a soft touch for such a BIG dude. He was the Big East Sixth Man of the Year. Gardner shoots an impressive 79% FT - career. Defensively - he eats space but he is not a shot blocker. He averaged 11.5 points and 4.8 rebounds this season, playing just 21.3 minutes per game.

Kazemi wrecks the rim

Arsalan Kazemi - Oregon. Senior. 6'8" 226. ...Kazemi has a motor that seemingly churns twice as fast as his opponents. Non-stop energy is his calling card. The Iranian National Team member started his college career at Rice but has now landed at Oregon. He is a terrific rebounder and defender that was named to the Pac-12 All Defensive Team. For his NCAA career - he shoots 55% FG. Trevor Mbakwe - Minnesota. Senior. 6'8" 245. ...Mbakwe has battled back from a torn ACL in his right knee (11/27/2011) to impact the paint for Minnesota. He led the Big Ten in both total rebounds, and offensive rebounds per game. He owns a career field goal percentage of 57%. He is powerful and athletic. ...He has more turnovers than assists and his free throw percentage is only 62%. Kyle Anderson - UCLA. Freshman. 6'9" 235. ...You could call Kyle Anderson a small forward or even a guard. The versatile Bruin is really just a good basketball player that I project to wind up as a power forward in the Lamar Odom mode. Anderson played point guard in high school where his team lost only once in two seasons. He looks like he's going in slow motion but he is undeniably effective. He averages 9.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. He has a 7'2" wingspan! I'd call him a small forward if he were a better three-point shooter (only 21% 3-pt.). Laurence Bowers - Missouri. Senior. 6'8" 227. ...Bowers returned to action this season after sitting out all of 2011-12 due to a torn ACL in his left knee. He came back as a better long range shooter. Bowers is now routinely stretching defenses out to the college three point line where he hit 39% of his long-ball attempts. He averages 14 points per game. Bowers has an outside chance to play some small forward too at the next level. His decision making and ball-handling are not quite at SF level yet in my opinion. Richard Howell - N.C. State. Senior. 6'8" 257. ...One of the reasons that N.C. State has been generally successful is the dependable play of Richard Howell. He improved his scoring, rebounding, assists, and steals averages with each season in the NCAA. This season, Howell scored 12.7 points per game while grabbing 10.7 rebounds per outing. He was named second team All-ACC (coaches).

McGary eats boards

Mitch McGary - Michigan. Freshman. 6'10" 263. ...McGary has legitimate NBA size and rebounding ability. He impacts Michigan games the moment he checks in. McGary averages 5.5 boards per game in just 17.7 minutes per contest. He shoots 57% FG. ...Read this about McGary's open attitude about living with A.D.H.D.Perry Ellis - Kansas. Freshman. 6'8" 225. ...He is coming off a Big 12 Tournament where he averaged 14.3 points per game. Ellis provides a spark off the Jayhawks bench. Branden Dawson - Michigan St. Sophomore. 6'6" 220. ...Dawson returned from a torn ACL (March 2012) to show what a capable power player he can be. He rebounds the ball extremely well and he seems to understand his limitations. The result is 56% FG accuracy. Defensively, he can guard virtually any position on the floor. Dawson has already publicly stated he plans to return for his junior season. Jake Cohen - Davidson. Senior. 6'10" 235. ...One of the best shooting big men in the tournament is Jake Cohen. He has worked to make himself a legitimate "stretch-four" prospect. He improved his three point shooting percentage with each of his four seasons. This season he shot 50% FG, 38% 3-pt, and 82% FT. He averages 14.8 points per game. Christian Watford - Indiana. Senior. 6'9" 232. ...Watford has turned into a deadly three point shooter (49% 3-pt). He is a bit of a "tweener" between a small forward and a power forward but he can REALLY shoot the ball. His 82% FT reflects his great touch. Mike Moser - UNLV. Junior. 6'8" 230. ...Moser may not be 100 percent yet after missing games due to a dislocated elbow suffered in December 2012. Moser has some small forward skills but he isn't dependable enough of a perimeter shooter to be called an effective wing player. At the PF, Moser can rebound at a high enough rate and provide some offense to boot.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

As much as experts continue to try to write off the fate of the BIG-man in modern basketball, it remains a fact that talented BIG players are still consistently the most efficient prospects. Shooting closer to the rim, or at the rim, produces a higher field goal percentage. A higher field goal percentage leads to more wins. Defensively - a talented BIG-man can help protect your basket and force opponents into taking shots further from the hoop - which leads to a lower field goal percentage for the opponent. ...SO... The Center - is still vital, especially in the NCAA - where there simply is not a LeBron James type hybrid talent. Our list of 15 Centers to watch from an NBA scouting perspective:

Cody goes strong

Cody Zeller - Indiana. Sophomore. 6'11" 230. ...Zeller is the younger brother of Cleveland Cavaliers Center Tyler Zeller. Cody is very similar to Tyler as far as his NBA prospects are concerned. Cody knows his role, and understands that he is a BIG-man. He doesn't shy from contact. He scores 17 points per game (60% FG - career) while grabbing eight rebounds per contest this season. He is not much of a shot blocker nor is he the best passing big man but Zeller runs the floor exceptionally well and he can finish around the hoop with either hand. He is also among a select group of BIG-men that shoots over 75% from the line. Jeff Withey - Kansas. Senior. 7'0" 235. ...Withey is a shot-blocker that also has a little bit of an offensive game. For his size, he is quick off his feet - which allows him to block shots at a high rate. He leads my database of tournament players in blocks per minute, and his career blocks per minute rate is better historically than noted shot-blockers John Henson, and Andre Drummond. Withey can step out to hit a face-up shot or score around the rim. The 23 year-old Senior was a unanimous All Big 12 selection. He shoots 72% from the free throw line. Kelly Olynyk - Gonzaga. Junior. 7'0" 238. ...Olynyk is a kid that continues to improve. He was recently named the West Coast Conference Player of the Year. He raised his scoring, and rebounding averages with each season, while also bettering his free throw percentage yearly. He averages 17.5 points (on 65% FG), and seven rebounds per game this season. He is a nimble BIG-man with legitimate NBA size. He has a decent touch (he shoots 71% FT- career), and he runs the floor very well for his size. Mike Muscala - Bucknell. Senior. 6'11" 239. ...Muscala is a two-time Patriot League Player of the Year. He was not only the Player of the Year this season but also the Defensive Player of the Year, and the Scholar Athlete of the Year in the Patriot League. He has both a face-up and a low post, back-to-the-basket game. Muscala is a gym-rat that uses either hand well around the hoop. He is praised by all as a hard worker.

Don't bring it.

Gorgui Dieng - Louisville. Junior. 6'10" 220. ...The Center with the highest ceiling is Gorgui Dieng. Although a 23 year-old junior, Dieng is still considered to be a player that is ascending. Defensively - he is a force. He moves his feet extremely well and he blocks or alters a high percentage of opponents shots in the paint. (Dieng's blocks per minute are historically equal to JaVale McGee's numbers.) While Dieng is still raw offensively - he has shown enough to make me believe he will continue to improve. He is just a career 65% free throw shooter. Reggie Johnson - Miami. Senior. 6'10" 307 (or more) ...Johnson was already a big kid when he suffered a knee injury. Post knee-injury, he ballooned up in weight and has found it difficult to get onto the floor in Miami's rotation. Johnson has all the tools a BIG-man could ask for. He has soft hands, a big behind, and a natural nose for the ball. He is capable of scoring in double figures, and rebounding likewise. But the bottom-line is that - due to the knee injury or a lack of discipline, Johnson is so horribly out of shape - I am no longer taking him seriously as a NBA prospect. Mason Plumlee - Duke. Senior. 6'11" 245. ...Plumlee has NBA size, and he can finish above the rim. He averaged 17 points and ten rebounds per game this season, and he is unquestionably improving. However, Plumlee is not as high on my board as he may be on other boards. I think he is a quality college BIG-man but I'm not as sure about him as a pro. He turns it over nearly two times for every one assist. He shoots only 57% from the line for his career (although he raised that to 67% FT this season). Plumlee is already 23 years-old.Adreian Payne - Michigan St. Junior. 6'9" 242. ...Payne is another kid that has improved his game dramatically since I first saw him play as a freshman. He is now a BIG that can step out and stretch defenses with his improved perimeter shooting. Inside the paint, Payne has a quick second jump and he will try to dunk everything he can. He still struggles with ball handling - coughing up nearly three turnovers for every one assist.

Birch tree.

Khem Birch - UNLV. Sophomore. 6'9" 220. ...Birch is an explosive leaper that plays bigger than his listed 6'9" height. He was the 2012-13 Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year. A career 55% FG shooter, Birch scores sparingly but he impacts the game by being seemingly everywhere in the paint. He had four conference games this season with five blocks or more. Birch, from Montreal, Canada - originally played college ball at Pittsburgh before transferring to Las Vegas. Gregory Echenique - Creighton. Senior. 6'9" 260. ...Echenique is a 'hard-hat' Center from Venezuela. As a college BIG-man - he gets the job done. He is a good rebounder. There is nothing spectacular in his game, just solid post play offensively and defensively. I don't see much of a ceiling for Echenique. He may have already peaked when you consider his scoring has dipped in the last three seasons. Jon Horford - Michigan. Sophomore. 6'10" 250. ...He plays nine minutes per game, but Horford has been efficient during his rare time on the floor. Horford has the ability to knock down a face-up shot and he shows a really nice touch for a BIG (75% FT - career). Jon's older brother Al plays for the Atlanta Hawks. It may not be Jon Horford's time just yet but he's worth keeping an eye on. Brad Waldow - Saint Mary's. Sophomore. 6'9" 260. ...Waldow is a "wide-body" that shoots an impressive 65% FG for his brief two year career at Saint Mary's. The space-eating BIG-man needs to improve his free throw shooting (51% FT), and he needs to be better passing out of double teams (more than 2.5 turnovers per assist). With his big backside, Waldow can establish low post position with ease. He looks poised to be a prime-time performer for the Gaels in the seasons to come. Ryan Kelly - Duke. Senior. 6'11" 230. ...The best shooting BIG-man in the tournament is Ryan Kelly. He is deadly from three point range (48% 3-pt. this season). He made seven three point shots in Duke's win over Miami (March 2nd). ...At the line, Kelly shoots an impressive 80% - career. He improved his points, assists, and three-point shooting percentage in each his of his four seasons at Duke. Alex Kirk - New Mexico. Sophomore. 7'0" 250. ...Kirk provided a presence for New Mexico in the Mountain West but his 48% FG - career is huge red flag to me. A seven-footer should be much better than 48% FG. Will Kirk be able to "show, and recover" on defense in the NBA? That is the main question regarding his future. Kirk is a BIG boy. He is not the fleetest afoot but he can cause problems by taking space. He will shoot three point shots, although not very well (28% 3-pt. career). Steven Adams - Pittsburgh. Freshman. 7'0" 240. ...Adams is a 19 year-old Center from New Zealand. He blocks shots, rebounds, and hits an efficient 56% of his field goal attempts. He runs the floor very well and he has good hands. But he is a work in progress as a shooter, really struggling at the free throw line where he makes a putrid 42%. He has a reputation as a kid with a great motor - so let's see how he develops.

In any basketball contest - the player who handles the ball the most is a crucial component. Here is a look at the 15 point guards in the 2013 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament that we will be watching the closest from an NBA scouting perspective...

Michael Carter Williams - Syracuse. Sophomore. 6'5" 176 ...Carter-Williams boasts a 2.36-to-1 assist to-turnover ratio which is not often seen in a dynamic, young guard. He is long, and lean and he has terrific explosion in his decisive moves on the court. His length makes him a tough match up for smaller point guards. Carter-Williams is still learning the value of shot selection. His career field goal percentage is just 39%. He helps his team on the boards, and he can create his own shot off the dribble. ...Carter-Williams has a "red-flag" for being caught shoplifting during his stay in Syracuse (Read this). He was a 2011 McDonald's All-American. I think he has the highest ceiling of any point guard in the Tournament. Nate Wolters - South Dakota St. Senior. 6'4" 190. ..."Nater's Gonna Nate". That is the slogan for Nate Wolters who seems to always find a way to score, and hit big shots. Wolters - the Summit League Player of the Year, and MVP of their conference tournament, is a complete player that fills the stat sheet with whatever his team needs. He often looks to score which led to him pumping in a Division-1 best, 53 points in a game this season (vs. IPFW). At 6'4", Wolters is usually bigger than the opposing point guard and he uses his gym-rat senses to do damage. ...I project Wolters as a low-tier starter in the NBA. Trey Burke - Michigan. Sophomore. 5'11" 180. ...The best in the college game at running a team (in my opinion) is Trey Burke. He is a diminutive yet highly confident and skilled point guard. While not blessed with supreme athleticism or length, Burke closes the gap on the deficiencies with his high basketball I.Q., and leadership ability. Burke has an excellent 2.42-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio and he can also put the ball in the basket. He averages 19.2 points per game. Sports Illustrated named Burke their National Player of the Year for 2012-13.

Jalan West is mostly unheralded.

Jalan West - Northwestern St. Freshman. 5'10" 178. ...The Southland Conference Freshman of the Year is one of two main reasons (DeQuan Hicks, the other), why Northwestern State is in the "big dance". West served up a gaudy 2.78-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio this season while making 83% of his foul shots, and leading his conference in steals. He was a red-shirt last season. Quinn Cook - Duke. Sophomore. 6'1" 175. ...Cook stepped up his offensive game this season and it helped make Duke a better team. Cook averaged 12 points and five assists in 2012-13 and maintained his outstanding 2.5-to-1 career assist-to-turnover ratio. He is solid not spectacular. I view him as a low-tier starter or dependable back-up point guard in the NBA whenever he finishes his NCAA career. Khalif Wyatt - Temple. Senior. 6'4" 215. ...Nobody in college basketball has as much "junk" in his game as Khalif Wyatt. He is the 2012-13 Atlantic 10 Player of the Year. Wyatt is a below-the-rim, savvy, crafty, skilled, and determined point guard that can score in a variety of ways. Wyatt hits circus shots with regularity. He improved his scoring average with each season at Temple, now hitting for 19.8 points per game. Lorenzo Brown - N.C. St. Junior. 6'5" 189. ...I've seen Lorenzo Brown dominate a game with his vision and court-sense. I've also seen Lorenzo Brown look disinterested and lazy. This season, his scoring, and rebounding are down and his turnovers are up. He enters the NCAA tournament having made just five of his last 25 field goal attempts. While most of that sounds negative, Brown has the tools to "flip the switch" and be brilliant. Due to his inconsistency - I view him as an NBA back-up at best.

Weber is a defensive force.

Briante Weber - VCU. Sophomore. 6'3" 160. ...The Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year is a certified pest. He averaged 2.8 steals per game in VCU's "havoc" defense. He only scores five points per game but his ability to make opponents uncomfortable is so strong that he deserves to be mentioned among the best point guards in the tournament. Hugh Greenwood - New Mexico. Sophomore. 6'3" 205. ...Greenwood is an Australian with experience as an international player. He starred on the Australian Under-19 team at the FIBA World Championships in Latvia in 2011, showing a high hoops IQ. He has a nice jumper and he is proficient as a three-point shooter (35% 3-pt). Aaron Craft - Ohio St. Junior. 6'2" 195. ...I started "scouting" college basketball in 1999. Since then - a small handful of players have passed through the NCAA ranks as "great defenders". I would put Aaron Craft at the top of that list alongside the likes of Shane Battier, Chris Singleton, and Kenyon Martin. Craft is full of energy. It is not unusual for him to play the entire 40-minute game. He is relentless on defense. He makes life miserable for opposing point guards, and as long as Craft is in the game, Ohio State has a chance to win. Shane Larkin - Miami. Sophomore. 5'11" 176. ...Larkin is the son of Hall of Fame shortstop, Barry Larkin. Shane was a first team All-ACC selection this season due to his complete game. He is especially hard to stop on dribble penetration. He has tremendous quickness, and ability to turn the corner. Shane is only limited by his 5'11" size - which makes him a target of bigger guards. Rasheed Sulaimon - Duke. Freshman. 6'3" 175. ...Sulaimon actually plays shooting guard at Duke but he is a combo-guard that will likely lean toward the point position in the NBA. The McDonald's All-American is mature beyond his years. He shoots the ball well (81% FT, 37% 3-pt), while maintaining a solid assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.5-to-1. He scored 17 points in the second half of a Duke come from behind win over Ohio St. in late November. Phil Pressey - Missouri. Junior. 5'10" 168. ...The best vision in college hoops this season belongs to Phil Pressey. He is a playmaker's playmaker. His assist-to-turnover ratio is better than two-to-one despite the fact that he will "swing for fences" with spectacular passes. He ranks eighth in the nation in assists per game (7.1). He is fun to watch. Anthony Marshall - UNLV. Senior. 6'3" 200. ...Playing in his fourth straight NCAA Tournament, Anthony Marshall is as experienced as a point guard can be at this level. He plays the game at NBA speed. He is an instinctive player that could definitely tighten up his decision making and free throw shooting (67% FT). But Marshall has some unteachable intangibles in my opinion. He is tough-minded and not afraid to make a play. Kerron Johnson - Belmont. Senior. 6'1" 175. ...Johnson is in the "big dance" for the third consecutive season as the floor general of the Bruins. He was the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament MVP. He hustles, he runs his team, and he scores 13 points per game.